Slotting mechanism



y 24, 1951 R. K. F. BAUMLE 2,561,966

SLOTTING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 4, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l 40 I v J5 55 F8 IN VEN TOR.

July 24, 1951 R. K. F. BAUMLE SLOTTING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 4, 1946 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. K. F. BAUMLE SLOTTING MECHANISM July 24, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 4, 1946 INVENTOR.

if]: W %M// Patented July 24, 1951 v 2,561,966

NT' v OFFICE 4 Rudolf K. F. Baumle,.,Chicago, -Ill., assignor: to Illinois Tool Works,,.(lhicago, Il1.,=a corporation. of Illinois.

Application December 4; 1946', Seria1 No. 71 1;049 7 *Claims'. (01. 10- 2 x I I 2 .1 This invention relatesgenerally to slottingma- .viewr-i loeingpltaken substantially along the line A chines-,-and more particularly to machines adapt-w l-JcfFigureB; ed to. cut aslotin a screw memberor blanln, FigureMZ: is an enlarged; fragmentaryadeta1l It ;has.'been,-found practical, in the handling of i View;takenverticallyhacrossthe .periphery of the articlesssucht as screws to feed. screw-members}; rotary feeding ..head at the: pomt wherev screw fro a feeding ghutewor guideway. t screw members are delivered from a chute to aarecesslw.

commedatingarecesses in airotary. feeding head in thehead,.saidmview .being'takensubstantially or carrier. In 3118:1156 of such apparatus, diih alongthe line,r2.-. -i2 ofLEigure.v8;.i. cultyhasa-been experienced in deliveringith Figure- 31s a.fragmentarywenlargedplan view screw memberfromits feeding chute into ,properfi o of alportion-of thelifeedingvheadflin the .vicinity,

associationawith= the,-recess in the feedingeheadr of the lower or deliveryendof the feedingfichutajp Thislhas been particularlynoticeable in instances it 'illu's'trating',.the manner-in which the firstscrew .t whereamorer'thano ones-screwamember'is djeli'v-l' m fl p l delivered duringathewintervalveredlrto the.rotatablelfeedingv head duringalanyqof movementof the head beginswto enterthe single ,indexingsmovement .of -ther.'head.,,--Thliswl5 screw accommodatingrecess in the head;v

it hasunotsbeenl uncommon .for ones groove. in the; Figure isa' view similar. to Figure 3'd feeding head to pass the lower end of the 'feedthe lbosition'of the feedinglhead when it has com-tr. ing chute.withoutrreceivingla screwmember-nfromw pleted onev interval .of movementiso as to accomthe chutemAs a. resnlt the..operating.-;efiicienoy .a modate a pair of screw membersnsubsequentlyl of machines'of thetypereferred,tdabovechasbeen.20 to be 's1otted...:Th'is;View:v is taken substantiallyw.

materially, reduced. The,present.inventionv con-4, along ;thei1inej4..,4 of Fig'urerz; templatessthe provision, of ascrew cutting, ma? 2 chineoin which the afor'saidrandr other, diffi'cul Figure his a detailvertical-section to illustrate thef'm'anner. in which? the slotting-saws function. h,

ties heretofore experienced are completely, to nrodu'c'e aslot thescrew; viated. v 25 Figure. .6,- is a vertical. sectionalmview shown More. sp e ywthe 'present invention con partly'i'n elevationttaken substantiallyalongthe templatesa machineas set forth 'abovewherein 11 -3 6 oflFigm-efi;

a up, su s a pa r f Screw members 1 Figure '7 is a-horizontalus'ectional viewataken be i lv'd -a feeding h oj substantially (along "the line..1.1 of Figures to a feeding head duringa given intervalvof inl dexing'movementexperiencedby saidlhead. 3

It is a..further'0bject'of the present invention to provide aslotting machinawhichismargcli4 Figiire ;8 is atplanmview. voffthe. mechanism-as larlyuadapted to effect Nthefsimu'ltaneous slotting'f -i shown'in Figured; of wgroup of Screw members durmg the? Fign're 9 is.arverticalusectional.view taken-sub.-v

more clearly illustrate the. mechanism, for im parting intermittentamovement. to the feeding of ascrew n m an intermittentlyT0135 stantiallycaIOngHtheHIineUSP-B of Figures; and-- tatable head.

Fi'giire.1,0 is an .elevationalaview-vof a screw" Still more specificallyizthe" invention 0611mm"? memberfrln which a slot has been cut by theplates' a machine .of the'type referredto above machinereferredytoabove l'"' W" m m are delivered ,3? $.4 Refe'arringLnpwto thedrawings more in detail rotatably indexed head contemporaneously w th wherein likexfnumemls ,havembeennemployed to the"-'simultaneous"slotting of two previously de* 1 livered screw member's carried by said rotary" head-. v

The foregoing' and other" obj ectsand advan tageswill be more apparent-'fromthefollowin detailed description when considered connec 7 tion with"theaccompanying drawings wherein Figure l'is avertica'l sectional View of aslotv I I invention contemplates an intermittently rotat- 5 able screw accommodating head designated genconical-z side;- surfacesisprovided with pairs :of

designate similar :partsthroughout the various views, vit will. be seenmthat onerembodiment of the era-11y by the numeral 12. ilhe head [2 is adapted T to be intermittently rotated-about averticalaxis. 1-.1- Thehead is {of frustosconical'form; and along its 5 ting 'machineiwhich is p s t iv of onevem- -w screw accommodating recesses; the advancing-re-s I bodiment of the present invention, portionswl t s each. pair/.01. groupfbein-gtdesignated by thereof such as the intermittentlyrotatable:feefiw the numeralem and-*the second "recesses bythe-i: ins head and sl ins wn uppor sb ingh numer'ailfla: -Screw-elements .16 areadapted' to I in elevation forfltheopurposeof. more readilybe deliveredtothe recesses l4l4a along asuitderstandingrtherconstruction ofvthei machine, sai

5 ableinclined:chuted 8. The manner: in which the screw members l6 are received by the recesses I4-I4a is best illustrated in Figures 2 to 4, inclusive. Figure 2 illustrates the manner in which the screw elements slide downwardly along the chute I8 toward the recesses in the head I2. Figure 3 illustrates the initial indexingmovement of the head I2, and in this connection, particular attention is directed to the cutaway or relieved area 26 in advance of the recess I4. By having this relieved portion 20, the lowermost screw member I6 begins to move inwardly toward the axis of the head I2 contemporaneously with the initial advancing movement of the head. When the head reaches the position illustrated in Figure 3, the lowermost screw member I6 is well on its way toward the advancing recess I4 so that as soon as the mouth of the recesses I4 registers with the lower extremity of the chute I8, the screw member is positively directed into the recess and is urged forwardly by the substantial abutment surface 22. The head continues to move until it reaches the position illustrated in Figure 4 where the trailing recess 14a comes to rest in registration with the lower end of the chute slot.

By having the structural arrangement just described, difficulties heretofore experienced in delivering screw members to an indexible head are completely obviated. That is to say, the present invention provides a rotary head arrangement which positively assures the delivery of a pair,

of screw members thereto during each interval of indexing movement. This is particularly important in the use of machines of the type described herein having a pair of reciprocable slotters about to be described.

Assume that the feeding head I2 has been indexed through 90 so as to bring the pair of screw members delivered from the chute I8 into position opposite a pair of rotary slotters 24--24a;. During the dwell of the feeding head I2 in this position, these slotters 2424a are shifted forwardly so as to cut a groove or slot 26 in the screw members in the manner illustrated in Figure 5. These slotters 24--24a are rotatably supported upon a suitable drive shaft 28 carried in a tiltable or rocking frame 30. The frame 30 is pivotally supported by a shaft 32. This shaft also carries a pulley 34 which is connected by a belt or chain 36 with a pulley or sheave 38, said parts being shown by dot and dash lines in Figure 1. It will also be noted that the oscillatory frame 30 is preferably made up of two parts, namely a lower section 46 and an upper section 42, adjustably secured to the lower section. The upper section 42 is adapted to be vertically adjusted with respect to the lower section 40. The slotters 24 2. are constantly urged toward the work, namely to the left (Figure 1) by a coiled spring 44 which encircles a rod 46. The left extremity of the rod 46 is pivotally secured to a frame 48, the spring 44 being interposed between the frame section 40 and abutment nuts 50 carried by the outer threaded end of the rod 46. In this manner, the spring 44 normally urges the frame 30 to the left (Figure 1). The frame section 40 carries an abutment screw member 52, secured in adjusted position by a lock nut 54. The inner end of the screw 52 engages a cam actuated slide block 56. This slide block 66 carries an anti-friction bearing or follower member 68 which frictionally coacts with the periphery of a rotary cam 60. During each complete rotation of the cam 60, the frame 30 experiences one complete oscillation. This period of oscillation is ObViOUS' 4 1y timed with the intermittent movement of the head I2.

Intermittent rotary movement of the head I2 is caused by a mechanism illustrated in detail in Figure 7. This mechanism consists of a ratchet wheel 62 keyed to a vertical shaft 64. The upper extremity of this shaft 64 carries the feeding head or carrier I 2, as clearly shown in Figure 6. Keyed to the shaft 64 is an oscillatory plate 66 which carries a spring pressed pawl 68. The plate 66 is connected with a driving gear I0 through the agency of a link, or connecting rod I2. During half of the rotation of the gear 70, the pawl supporting plate 66 is swung to the left (Figure '7) during which time it imparts an interval of movement to the feeding head I2, and during the other half of the rotation of the gear 10, the pawl 68 shifts to the right, in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure '7, so as to be conditioned for subsequent actuating engagement with the ratchet 62. A second gear 14 on a shaft I6 meshes with the gear 10 and imparts rotation to a cam '18 keyed to the shaft 16. With the high point of the cam 18 engaging one arm of a bell crank 80, as illustrated in Figure 7, the opposite arm of the bell crank holds a positioning pin 82 disengaged with respect to the ratchet 62. Durin this period of disengagement, the pawl 68 imparts indexing movement to the ratchet. During the remainder of the stroke of the pawl 68, the pin 82 through the action of a spring 84 is held in interlocking association with the ratchet 62 so as to prevent movement of the feeding head I2. It is during this period of dwell that the cutting action of the slotting tools' 24--24a takes place. In order to secure the screws in a fixed pos1- tion during the slotting operation, a screw clamplever 94. The lever 94 is pivotally supported ine.

termediate its ends by a bracket 96, and the op posite end of the lever arm 94 superimposes a.

vertically s'hiftable actuating pin 98. As the ac-' tuating pin 98 moves upwardly, it tilts the lever arm 94 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fi ure 9, and this causes the member 86 carried by the arm 90 to be moved into clamping engagement with a pair of screw members I6-I6a previously delivered to the feeding head I2 from the chute I8. The pivotal mounting for the member 86 is such as to render said member selfadjustable to any variation in the heights of the complementary pairs of screw heads.

In order to effect resilient clamping engagement of the member 86 with the heads of the screws -I6I6a, a coil spring I00 encircling a screw I02 is interposed between the upper free extremity of. the lever 90, and an upwardly projecting portion formed integral with the lever arm 94. Thus,

after the clamping member 86 has been shifted into clamping engagement with the heads of a pair of screws, further continued clockwise movement of the lever arm 94 causes the spring I00 to be compressed, thereby resiliently urging the lever 90 in a clockwise direction so as to effect firm and. resilient engagement of the member 86 with the screw heads.

The timed functioning of the screw clamping, mechanism just described is occasioned by a rotary cam I04. The upper surface of they cam I04 coacts with a follower roller I06 carried at the lower end of an actuating plunger I08, the uppercam lli i is so arranged that the clampirigengage-- merit .ofv themember iii with apair of screw-mem I l:

bers positioned opposite theslotters 24-2411 takes place the instantvthatthefeedinghead l2 begins its period of dwell and the ,slotters move into operative If association "-"with *the screw -member'sk." |4-l4a.

From the foregoing; :it will be apparent that the feeding theclamping and.cam .devices just described, 'operate in timed relatibn "so as to effect rap-id successive slotting of pairs 'ofscrew members in a veryiefficientmane" ner, ,The'boactingparts are of extremely sim-J actuating-i pin 98 pre f supporting frame head l2, theslotters 24-24a, and M member 86 through the various'gear plegconstrnction and are relatively few in hum-5*; ber..;;As previously pointed out, the rotary. screw.

feeding head is so constructed as to insure the deliveryof'twov screw members from the chute during, eachi'nterval of indexing movement, GXr" perienced by the'feeding head. By employing'a rotary type feeding head to accommodate screw members in pairs, the ease with which such pairs of screws may be positioned in rapid succession in operative association with the slotters is greatly facilitated. Also, by having the tilting or oscillatory slotter supporting frame forshifting the slotters toward and away from screw members carried by the rotary feeding head, the speed and accuracy with which the slotting operation takes place is enhanced. 'It will also be apparent that after the screws have been slotted, they are automatically ejected from the feeding head by a stripping arm H0. Upon engagement with the arm H0, the screws are stripped or ejected from the feeding head and directed to a suitable receptacle, not shown, Obviously, the invention is not limited to the slotting of screw shanks, but is capable of being used in any instance where pairs of elements such as screw members are to be received from a delivery device such as a chute, and subsequently moved into position to be slotted. It will also be apparent that for the purpose of illustrating one practical embodiment of the invention, certain structural features of design have been disclosed herein, and the invention is by no means limited to these specific struc tural features, but is capable of other modifications and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Automatic screw cutting apparatus includ ing an inclined guideway for feeding screw elements, an intermittently rotatable screw advancing carrier havinga peripheral surface extending substantially normal and adjacent to the lower extremity of said guideway, said peripheral .and means' for i num'bergdf screW-el'ementsin each of saidgroupa saidcarrier intermittently to movesaid groupsof screw elementssuccessive be acted upon by said cutters,

I causing relative approaching movementbe'tweemsaid carrier and cutters -for"- effecting screwcutting' action of a group ofv screw elerrients=betweerrintermittent movements of said mean's for frotating 1y in eii ii i recesses thefrecesses',preach group being substantially paralleh'td ionefanotherisaid drunrha-ving screw eleriientjhead supporting. surfaces normal to said efand support .the'headsof screw elementsreceivedin "said recesses, aninclined guideway for feeding screw elements to said drurnir' aired foripassage.intoisaid. aligned for reoeption on urfa'ces of thedrum, a group ers' shifta bly mounted for move' j I ally of said drum in angular: relationflto' said guideway and 'into "en;

withjthescrew elements vin angroupqof ses to slotfthe'shanksof said screw el'e recessesto receiv th i" shanks 'ali rece esand the heal the li'e d sunnert ss of rotaryf slot ment ig'eneraly rad aces gageinenti said reces.

ments, and means for rotating and shifting said v slotter.

3. In a machine for slotting headed screws as set forth in claim 2, means for clamping the heads of a group of screw elements against the head supporting surfaces of the drum during the shank slotting operation on that group.

i. In a screw'slotting machine, a guideway for feeding screw elements, an intermittently rotatable drum having in its periphery a plurality of surface having in association therewith transof rotary cutters corresponding in number to the groups of outwardly opening recesses to receive groups of screw elements successively from said guidew-ay, the leading side of the advance recess of each group being of less depth than the trailing edge of said recess and opening into an arouately extending, radially relieved peripheral surface portion to cause the advance recess of each group to pick up a screw from the guideway during movement of the drum, means for intermittently rotating the drum angular distances corresponding to the arouate spacing between the trailing recesses of successive groups of recesses to successively register the trailing recesses with the guideway to receive a screw element from the guideway while the drum is at rest, a plurality of rotary slotters corresponding in number to the number of peripheral recesses in each of said groups, said rotary cutters being shiftably mounted for simultaneous movement generally radially of said drum into simultaneous engagement with the screw elements in said group of recesses simultaneously to slot a group of screw elements, and means for rotating said slotters and shifting said slotters simultaneously.

5. In a screw slotting machine :as set forth in claim 4, shiftably mounted means'for clamping the screw elements to the drum during the slotting cperation, and means for operating said clamping means in timed relation to the shifting of said slotters.

6. In a screw slotting machine, a frusto-conical drum having a smaller diameter at its upper supporting surface portions normal to said re-' cesses, a screw feeding guideway inclined suba machine for slotting headed screw clef at b mhaving in its periphery n u vfwf f ps Iof "outwardly" openin '1 to receivetheshanks of screw elements,"

accuses stantially normal to said conical surface for feeding the screw elements successively into said re-. cesses with the shanks aligned with the recesses and the head thereof aligned with the head supporting surface portions of the drum, the screw elements thereby lying at a substantialy constant angle relative to the vertical axis of the drum and being maintained in said recesses by gravity a shank slotter mounted for rotation about an axis normal to the axis of rotation of the drum and shiftably mounted for movement substantially radially of the drum into engagement with the shanks of the screw elements in the recesses of the conical surface of the drum, and means operable in timed relation to the shifting of the slotter for engaging and clamping the heads of the screw elements against the head supporting surface portions of the drum during the slotting operation.

7. A screw element. carrier including an intermittently rotatable drum having in its periphery a plurality of groups of outwardly opening recesses to receive groups of screw elements, the leading side of at least one recess of each group being of less depth than the trailing edge of that recess and opening into an arcuately extending radially relieved peripheral surface portion to facilitate reception of a screw by that recess during movement of the drum, the leading side of at least one other recess of that group being of equal depth with the trailing. edge of that recess to facilitate reception of a screw while the drum is stationary, and means of intermittently rotating the drum angular'distances corresponding to the arcuate spacing between like recesses of successive groups.

I RUDOLF K. F. BAUMLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

